


A Guilty Guidance

by NeverEnoughCats



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Goatbro is grumpy but loves you, Mentions of War, Pacifist Route again, Post-Pacifist Route, Reader Is Frisk, Ruin guardian!AU, Sassy Chara, True Reset
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-05 16:16:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5381759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverEnoughCats/pseuds/NeverEnoughCats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When are you going to tell him? </p><p>Chara's words cut into you like a knife slipping between ribs. Guilt clawing its way up your back and sits on your shoulders from the truth behind their question and you don't blame them. You frown and tighten your hold on Asriel's hand, ignoring the questioning glance he gives you. After all, you broke the promise.</p><p>He gently squeezes your hand back.</p><p>GoatbroAU! where it's neither Toriel nor Asgore who greets you, but Asriel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It starts with a loss

"It's not your fault."

You stand there in silence. A crowd enfolds around you, but you don't bother looking at their faces.

 

"There was nothing you could do."

Pitying looks make you cringe, their solemn words make you want to shout in their face. They know nothing but talk as if they do. You hate it.

"It was bounded to happen."

In the end, no matter how much they sugar coat it or use different words, they all mean the same thing: I'm sorry for your loss.

But they're not sorry, you know this as you stare up at the ceiling. The house feels empty despite purposefully leaving the lights on and your room feels even worse. You observe the spiderweb cracks in the paint, the quaint fairylights they got for your birthday and then the drawings you made when you were young.

Crayon, smudged by clumsy fingers and brightly colors. You eye one of them in particular, the drawing of everyone – your family.

It would be better if you crossed out their faces.

...You ignore that comment.

Why? It's not like you're actually going to do anything useful with yourself.

Stop it, you think, but you can feel them smile. Not in the mood.

When are you ever? Chara leers over you, attempting to provoke you with their glee. It's an expression you're familiar with, from monsters like Astigmatism to human bullies to politicians. You ignore it with ease and listen to the front door opening, the footsteps that followed. They walk around the house, lights being switched off in their wake. They try to be quiet but it's not enough because you hear the owner of the sounds pause outside your door, then continue to check the rest of the house.

They don't leave and the TV is turned on, could it be – 

No.

You don't think. It's not Sans, since he walks without a sound when checking your room, but neither is it Alphys or Papyrus because – 

Chara scoffs, a non-existing  puff of air against your ear. Another crybaby.

There's nothing wrong with crying, you tell them. Your throat feels tight, like someone's strangling you and heat in your eyes make you feel otherwise. Crying allows you to let out your pent-up emotions, you recall what your mom taught you, it helps you relax and be able to feel again.

It tells others that you're weak, spits Chara.

It tells them that you need help, you bite back.

Frowning at the back of your mind, Chara goes quiet for a moment.Crying reminds you that you're still alive and human.

Not all humans are bad, you try to retort but most of your efforts are on choking back whimpers.

A sigh. Your SOUL says otherwise, they reply.

You do your best not to think about anything. You just want to curl up and disappear and hope that nobody would notice your tears because you know that it would break their hearts – unlike your last family. You don't want to think about them either.

But when there's a will, there's a way. It's always been there, lingering in the your thoughts whenever something goes wrong or on days you feel like you just _can't_. 

Really? Chara raises a brow at you. Out of all things,  _this _ pushed you?

You ignore them in favor of getting up, pulling your favorite purple and blue sweater tighter around your body. The bed creaks loudly as you slip off and walk over to the closet. You know what to do and what happens but you still pull out the chest from under the clothes. Inside, bits and pieces from your time in the Underground stare up at you.    


Well, I don't blame you,Chara starts as you carefully brush the frills of the old tutu aside, nudging aside the apron you always told yourself you would wash and lifting up the cowboy hat. Underneath everything sits a knife that's too blunt to hurt and the Locket. 

Especially when _you could have helped_ _ them_.

Stop it, you grit your teeth and Chara frowns at the back of your head.

The gold metal is still shiny despite age and tiny in your palm as you direct your attention to inspecting the Locket. Still looks new, they say quietly and you have to agree. As you sit back on the bed, hand clutching the dagger and the Locket sitting neatly around your neck, you feel Chara sit next to you.

You promised though,  they say without the usual snark or the unnatural cheer coating their tongue. You know that they're not completely evil. They were a child and their world was cruel, enough to teach them to mirror it. Still, you don't need Chara's morality hounding yours.

You told him that you would give them their happy ending.

"Does this look happy to you?!" You finally snap at the empty room, anger grinding its teeth into you and flaring in your chest. Chara doesn't quite recoil away from you – you don't often get angry but when you do, it's not pretty –  but you feel their presence lessen like a leaf sinking in to water. Outside, the TV's goes on mute.

Your rage dies out as soon as it comes and guilt overcomes you."I'm sorry."

Whatever, maybe this time we can do things  _my _ way.

With a frown, you lean back and pull your knees up to your chest to hug yourself. It would be simpler to just load  your last save, but that's the thing.

You already tried it.

And found yourself back right after it happened. The first time you did it was when you got the news, hoping to wake up in your bed with Toriel smiling over you but that never happens despite the countless times you loaded the last save. You don't know if you somehow accidentally saved without your knowledge but one thing's for sure: this is the only way.

You know neither of us will remember this, right? Chara seems to lean against you and for a moment, it almost feels comforting to have another person with you despite the footsteps starting again towards your room.

Along with the fact that we, and I say 'we' because I'm still stuck with you despite everything, will have to  –

The thought of seeing your family together alive and well again fills you with Determination.

– fight that disgusting, ugly ass photoshopped version of –

You close your eyes.

_ – him and then restart again just to date a lizard and... oh. _

You pause, sensing Chara's confusion and open your eyes to see golden flowers and warm sunlight. It's not a sight that you're unfamiliar with, since you made a habit to visit the overgrown patch of flowers that broke your fall every year, but you notice the freshness of the petals and how much smaller they all are.

_ Well, that was abrupt. Give me a warning next time._Chara says with a slight frown, gazing down at the flowers. You can almost see them, a flicking outline of their form as they stand beside you like a ghost. It's...weird to actually be able to see Chara. Normally, their presence would hover behind you or at the corner of your eye, commenting and giving the occasional sarcastic hint; now you see a child, cheeks rosy and shirt striped with yellow and green. They look tiny, almost harmless, and you briefly wonder how they are the one behind the whispers for you to FIGHT and kill. 

_What?_   They noticed your stare, staring back with defiant intensity.

Standing up, you dust yourself off  and observe the changes. Scraps and bruises marking your skin, leaves in your hair and feeling hunger gnaw your guts as expected. "Nothing," you answer, prompted by Chara's unamused glare."You just look really young." 

_ Not like you're any better. _

"Yeah, I know." You can't help but grin. Everything looks so big and you know that Toriel will be able to envelope you with her hugs again. You will do everything in your power to fix everything, you tell yourself. A promise for a promise.

_ Maybe this time you can save him_ _._   They sound neither bitter nor delighted. You try not to dwell about it.

You start for the next room where Flowey waits, distrubing dried leaves and dust on the path. Chara has something to say, a question on the tip of their tongue, but tenses up  and falls silent when you step into the room.

Nothing greets you, a blank space at where you can picture a perfect smile and bright petals. It's unnerving despite knowing that you've experienced it before. Chara's silence scares you even more. You nudge them for a response with concern.

_ This is different_ _,_ Chara starts.  Flowey is supposed to be here, trying to get you to run into his 'friendliness pellets' and mock you. He won't remember anything and it's not the first time they've done a True Reset; they know what's to come. _Where's Toriel?_ _ _

You shrug, not knowing how to response and wait for a kind smile and soft words. Minutes pass and Chara gets impatient, their urge to fidget and walk into the Ruins blending in with your own. By their third sigh, you speak up, "Maybe something went wrong. Should I reset again?"

_ No._ Chara's voice is distant, deep in thought before they shift in front of you. You see them clench their fists and cross their arms, eyes fixed on where Flowey should be as if expected the talking plant to pop up from the ground at any moment. _Try... calling for someone. _

Your hands automatically swing down to grab your phone from your pocket, but meet worn fabric instead.

You call for help.

But nobody c– an echoing bang resounds from a distance in front of you. It sounds like a stone being smashed apart and you can only imagine the Ruin's door being kicked open by a rushing goatmom. Poor door.

A sigh of relief leaves Chara and you turn to smile brightly, eyes becoming damp and warm as the soft-padded footsteps hurry over. You can't see much thanks to tears blinding you but you hear Toriel take a breath to speak, but it cuts off into an 'oof!' when you tackle her into a hug. Toriel makes a confused noise but you don't notice, pressing up against her as much as your tiny body allows. Her warmth and fur surround you as she hesitantly – _why would she hesitate?_ – puts a paw on your head, ruffling your hair gently. You sigh at her attempt to comfort and relax, her robes smelling of flowers and pie and... tea?

_ Wait. _

"Mom?" you murmur the question into her robes. The paw patting your head freezes up. You feel the body in front of you tense, as if expecting you to FIGHT or FLEE and that has you backing away. Chara is unnervingly quiet and you force yourself to look up.

_ ... Asriel? _


	2. Pulled along by a hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you all for the support. Glad to know people want to read this :b
> 
> Secondly, sorry for those who got confused over Chara's dialog. The idea is for their words to be part of the story. If you find it difficult to differentiate between Frisk's and Chara's thoughts, that's the plan ;D
> 
> Enjoy.

Asriel holds your gaze, calm and concern with a hint of wariness against your own frightened confusion.

He looks like how he did when he first absorbed all the souls, dark lines trailing down his eyes and power trembling in his wake, but there's something off about him. Perhaps it's his gloating and desperation for you to just let him win. You feel a rush of emotions that are not your own, too fast for you to take in but the disbelief, joy and slight horror stands out the most even as Chara continues their silence.

"Howdy," he starts softly, as if afraid that you would bolt if he speaks louder. Considering the weakness in your knees, you would probably faint instead, let your mind shut your body down once overwhelmed. He continues, "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you."

 _You never do, idiot._ Chara whispers in a strained hiss and you agree, guilt crawling its way up your back and resting on your shoulders.

Expression growing more concern, Asriel kneels down to make himself smaller and forces a smile. "Golly, you must be really scared, huh?"

 _He takes you for a child._ Chara states with a hint of wonder in their voice. He doesn't remember anything, as expected of the True Reset but how is he here?

You shake your head and he frowns lightly at your wordless response, most likely thinking that you're still afraid of him. He is as wrong as the fact that he lives is true; you're worried that you will blurt something out if you try talking – _what, are you going to tell him that he's actually supposed to be a flower or something?_

You shush Chara and they snort.

The goat monster gives you a critical look and tries another approach. "My name is Asriel. I'm the caretaker of this place," he does a weak, vague wave to the area around you two and you think you can hear Chara chuckle bitterly, "what's your name?"

 _Ah yes, the classic 'I'm not a stranger anymore if you know my name' trick._ they say over your shoulder as you debate on your answer. _Just tell him that his name is stupid, like I did._

"Frisk." you say firmly after a moment, banishing your fears and watching him carefully. It's not that you don't trust him; Asriel appears to be himself, kind and tired and albeit older, but even then you don't know him that well and you don't know what has happened to Toriel and Asgore. For all you know, Asriel could have killed them and taken their place.

 _Or they finally died of age. He's almost old enough._ Chara's observation is strained and mild and you feel an ache in your chest at the thought. In the last timeline, you knew that your parents would never die from time. Unfortunately, that didn't leave them immune to other causes.

"Frisk, huh? That's an interesting name." the goat monster murmurs with a curious glint in his eyes, still not moving from his position and is visibly trying not to make any brash moves that could frighten you. Chara sighs at his restraint while you feel a surge of appreciation even if he is going to kill you after this. "Do you know what it means?"

 _He sounds like he's about to read your fortune by the letters in your name._ A loud snort leaves Chara, so loud that you almost believe that it echoes the room and to Asriel's ears.

To search a person or go frolicing happily, which one do you intend to tell him? Chara's question tries for nonchalance yet the undertone bares enough weight for you to know that their attention is on you. You never had a reason to share your name's origins with the insistent spirit anyway.

You settle for shrugging with a smile. "Yep."

 _Wow. Seriously?_ Chara deadpans and stares.

Asriel on the other hand, accepts it and grins back. He seems to find your smile more worth than the answer to his question and stands up slowly, offering a furry paw to you.

"That's nice. It's always good to know the meaning of your name."

_His name is literally D- Asgore splicing his and Toriel's name together. His name is the ship, Frisk. And worst of all: he inherited his father's horrible naming skills! Flowey the fuckin -_

You block out Chara's rant with years of training, smiling wider as you shake his paw. It's so big and plush and gentle that it reminds you of Toriel once more. You hope she's okay.

"Are you hungry, Frisk?" the goat monster asks and you hesitate. If you remember correctly, your last meal was hours before you climbed the mountain, maybe even a whole day. Either way, you don't want to think about it and nod vigorously. Asriel takes this with a smile and stands up, leading you by the hand you have yet to let go. "Come then. I've a freshly baked pie at home and you're more than welcomed to share."

The entrance looms over you, shadows falling under the lines of stone steps. Last time, you were too consumed by awe and fear but now you notice things. Everything looks clean, the stairs missing the thin layer of dust that covered it and even the door and ceiling appear to be spotless.

_He must have had a lot of free time._

You nod in agreement as you two enter the next room. The pressure plates on the right side have already been pressed. He continues to the next chamber, rushing water and three switches greeting you two. You walk up to the switches while Asriel instructs you, half-listening to his explanations of the many puzzles littered around in the Ruins. At least this puzzle is still the same.

 _Sure._  Chara’s reply is dripping with sarcasm and you roll your eyes with your back turned to Asriel, pulling the switch the arrows point to.  _Huh._

What is it?

 _The instructions,_  says Chara as you and Asriel make your way to the next switch.  _They look… aged. Maybe a few years old._

How would you know?

_You learn to tell time well when you’re trapped in a state like mine._

You frown at Chara’s answer, barely noticing Asriel’s approving smile when you pull the last lever. The spikes blocking the path sinks back into the ground and Asriel takes your hand to guide you once again.

The dummy sits at the end of the short path, innocently waiting for someone to interact with it.

Asriel pauses before walking you over to the dummy, locking eyes with you. “This is going to sound weird to a human, but here in the Underground, things aren’t exactly… pleasant.” His brows furrow as he tries to think of an explanation. The worrying thought of how different this timeline is hits you and settles as an uncomfortable weight of dread in your gut. “There are not many monsters like me, most would try and hurt you because you’re not one of us. So right now: I need you to do something for me, Frisk.”

_Punch it._

No, Chara.

“I want you to destroy this Dummy.”

You blink and stare at Asriel for a few moments, “Excuse me?”

“No need to be worry!” He waves his paws quickly and tries for a grin to reassure you. “I’ll be there to stop before anything happens. It’s just that I need you to be able to defend yourself.”

“By hurting it...?”

“Yes – I mean, no. It’s complicated, Frisk.” With a loud sigh and a slump in his shoulders, the goat monster gives you an honest, apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’m really bad at this, never really needed to talk about this kind of things.”

“It’s okay.” _Not it’s not, what the hell Asriel?_ “Just talk slower?”

Asriel brightens up, ears perking and fur around his neck puffing slightly. “Of course! Uh, let’s see,” He looks around on the floor and spots a nearby leaf pile. In a swift move, he picks up two leaves, a small one and a large one, and holds them out in each palm.

“When you encounter a monster, they would use magic to bring out your SOUL for combat. Like this," a brief wave of his hand, your breath hitches and a small tremor goes through your body as a cherry red heart floats above you. Asriel puts his hands together as if cupping the heart, warmth feeling your chest and you feel at ease. "There are two main types: those who don’t want to fight and those who will. For the first group, they’re mostly just as scared as you are. You can try talking to them or calming them down. When you do that, you can then spare them.” Gently, he pulls away and your winking heart disappears from view to hold up his palms again. He drops the smaller leaf and you both watch it hit the floor with a soft pat. “You might end up making a few friends.”

“The monsters of the other half, however, are probably part of the war.” You open your mouth to ask ‘what war?’ when he holds the remaining leaf up to your eye level. “These monsters are unlikely to listen to reason and must be avoided. Flee when possible, but if you have to fight, do not be afraid.”

He snaps his fingers and the big leaf goes out in flames. You stare with wide eyes as Asriel burns it in a flicker and lets the ash fall from his paw. Even Chara is silent.

“I will be there to protect you.”

A shadow is casted over the goat monster and you can see a slice of the mocking being who fought you in what feels like years ago, now standing before you. The God of Hyperdeath, that is.

You hear Chara let out a snicker and you hide a smile of your own. Good, they’re still here.

Asriel hums and scratches his chin, the shadow gone and replaced by a thoughtful goat guardian. “Another way is sparing them when they’re weak and injured, which is better for both of you but that’s kind of risky. Let’s just focus on the Dummy first, yeah?”

He walks over to the doorway, leaning against the side and folding his arms as he watches you expectedly.

You turn to stare at the Dummy.

The Dummy stares back.

Chara sighs heavily. _Please don’t tell me you’re planning on wasting our time just to see the thing float away._

You don’t answer, walking up to the Dummy. It waits politely as you go through your options. There’s attacking it in which you can reduce it to stuffing with a single swing of your handy stick, and the more peaceful route of simply talking to it.

_It’s not much for conversation, remember?_

You spend a crucial minute of extremely serious debating, trying to figure of a calculative path to suit your needs and satisfy Asriel. Chara narrows their eyes at you, an annoyed frown twisting their lips when the solution hits you like a brick wall. _No._

You brace yourself, taking another step forward that you’re face to face with your target. Asriel takes a sharp breath behind you as you reach out with both hands.

_Don’t do it, Frisk._

You hug the Dummy.

_Oh my god._

The Dummy attempts to hug you back.

_Except it can’t because it doesn’t have freaking arms so now you look stupid. Hope you’re happy._

You appreciate the effort anyway and squeeze it once, before pulling away to face Asriel. The monster manages to drag his gaze from the cotton-stuffed dummy for you to see the dumbfounded look in his eyes.

“Uh. Okay. That was really different.” His eyes flicker between you and the Dummy in confusion, before he gives a shrug. “To the next room then.”

_Are you attempting to do things as differently as possible in this timeline?_

Kind of, you think back as you follow Asriel. The idea is tempting, considering you both don’t know how much has changed in this world. Perhaps if you choose to ACT in another way, you would blend in with this timeline?

_That doesn't make any sense. Also, you're unnerving him with your silence._

“Asriel?” you ask, taking this moment to fill the silence with a question that has been nagging your conscience. The goat monster hums in response, pausing at the short passage with the blueprints across the spiked floor further down. “You said something about a war.”

You feel his fuzzy paw tense slightly around your hand and he opens his mouth, before snapping it shut hard enough for you to hear fangs click together. “…I’ll tell you later, Frisk.”

The urge to pester him, to push him until he answers you even if you have to make him cry like the big baby he is probably belongs to Chara. They growl in irritation when you don’t act out on their urge despite your own curiosity but you rather let Asriel tell you in his own time.

“For this puzzle, there is a hidden path through the spikes. The solution is actually the path right behind us.” Asriel explains with a nod towards the floor in front. You take a step forward, knowing that even if you don’t know the path, the ‘spikes’ are too blunt to hurt you anyway, when Asriel cuts himself off with a sigh. “Forget it.”

With a startled yelp, you manage to stop yourself from instinctively kicking out when he scoops you up into his arms. Then again, your kicks probably wouldn’t do much, considering how small you are compared to him. Asriel holds you close against his chest, glaring lightly at the spiked floor as he mutters, “Who designed this puzzle anyway?”

 _So he carries you like a princess instead of just holding your hand._ Chara comments with a raised brow, disbelieved amusement with the slightest hint of bitterness flooding the back of your mind. Heat gathers in your cheeks at being treated like a child again and you attempt to hide your face by burying it into the goat monster’s robes. It still smells of flowers and tea. _That’s Asriel, all right. And to think he was afraid to pick me up._

You two were young then, Chara. You think back as gently as you can. Their ghostly form flickers and a new emotion floats up, too distant for you to pin a name on it. The closest you can describe it is a whirlpool of hurt, fond exasperation and envy. It makes you want to hug them, but Chara’s form fizzes out like a blown candle when they sense your desire to comfort.

 _I’m fine,_ they grit out when you nudge them, curling into themself. You decide to leave them alone for now, settling for circling your arms around Asriel’s neck instead.

A comfortable silence has fallen on you both as he made his way through the spikey path and now through the long corridor. You expect him to put you down and make you walk down the empty hallway, but he continues to hold you.

“It’s a long walk,” Asriel explains with a grin when he spots your surprised look, chuckling lightly. “And you look really tired too, like you’re about to fall over.”

He isn’t wrong about being tired. You can still feel fatigue hanging over you like a dark cloud, weighing down your limbs and your eyelids. The idea of curling up somewhere warm and safe is appealing, but it was never really an option when you were a child with Determination – and fear – keeping you awake regardlessly. “I’m used to it.”

“I see.” His grin dampens slightly in concern and you can see Asriel make an effort not to frown out right, shifting you carefully in his arms to hold you higher. At the new angle, you find yourself able to rest your head on his shoulder, soft fur tickling your face. “More the reason for that pie, yeah?”

A Froggit peeks out from behind a pillar when you two reach the end of the long corridor, blinking owlishly before darting back out of view. You can hear the fluttering of a Whimish nearby and what is most likely a Loox watching you from a leaf pile. Being held like this reminds you of Toriel, the warmth and fluff acting as a lure to doze off but you manage to sleepily nudge Asriel’s jaw with your head lightly to get his attention. “Other monsters?”

“Don’t worry about them. They’re harmless, albeit skittish. It’s not often we get newcomers in the Ruins after all.”

 _They look afraid._ Chara supplies and you nearly jump at the sound of their voice so close to your ear, drowsiness forgotten.

Of what?

_You, Asriel, I don’t know. I’m not a seer. Considering Asriel’s obvious avoidance in this ‘war’ subject, I suggest either asking the spiders at the bake sales or a random Froggit. The spiders are still likely to have contact to Muffet in the Hotlands and surely the monsters here have a better understanding of the world than we do at the moment._

Dread chews your stomach as you try to push the worrying thought away. You know something is going on, but the main problem is how big it is. Are the humans still fighting monsters, resulting in this ‘war’ term being used? And how is Asriel still alive in Toriel’s place?

Sleep tugs at you insistently, wishing for you to close your eyes and relax in Asriel’s arms and you give in after a long tiring moment. You do stay awake long enough to shove your worry away, filling its place with the idea of pie and a warm bed in hopes that you won’t have nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are very much welcomed, tho I'd love more for the latter. Lemme know what y'all think and thank you for reading!


	3. That wipes away tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like how Chara's a lit' shit and has poor respect for privacy, enough to grab Asriel's snooty.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

You jolt awake, choking back a cry that could have been a laugh and violently throwing the blanket off of your person. You can still feel the dust all over you, on your hands, hair and even in your mouth but you don’t know who it belongs to. You don't want to know.  All you can recall are the whispers. Voices, too many and forced to use a single instrument to speak. Their words were muffled and strained; It’s important, your mind tells you and you tried to listen but there were too many people telling you the same thing in different words that you just couldn’t understand. Either way, you rather not think about it.

“Mom?” you call out quietly, blinking to clear the blurriness in your vision. You haven’t noticed that you were crying in your sleep, but it’s not the first time. 

Maybe everything, from the Incident to Asriel being alive, is simply a dream and you’re back in your room at Toriel’s house. 

Tomorrow, you’re sleeping at Dad’s place so you really should pack your bag before you forget it again and end up needing to make two trips. You already have two sets of your belongings, from toothbrushes to your favourite pyjamas at both their houses but there’s only one jacket and scarf that Sans and Pap’ gave you in that bag. With a sigh, you rub your face in an attempt to wake yourself up but give up at trying to sit up. You will pack it later, you promise yourself as you scoot back into the covers. The distant sounds of pots clanking in the kitchen and humming reassures you to return to sleep.

Everything is going to be okay.

_ Frisk. _

Your Mom’s going to wake you up later for breakfast like she always does with a smile, pie and tickles because you’re never going to be a morning person despite almost being an adult and having three alarm clocks; but she knows your weakness and that’s waking you up via forced laughter and wiggling fingers.

_ Stop it. _

And then you’re heading out with Undyne and Alphys to go shopping. They’re still deciding on the wedding arrangements – the lesbian fish wants to have a series of obstacles, namely Papyrus and her wrestling friends, to stand in her way to the altar so she can show off how much she loves her lizard waifu by suplexing them all while Alphys is tempted to do a cosplay wedding. You can already hear both of them panic about it and can’t help the wavering smile form on your lips, throat growing tight.

_ Frisk, please, stop. _

A-and tonight you’re meeting up with Sans to go surprise Pap’ at his new pasta store ‘cause it’s the anniversary of the first day he opened the shop and when he’s going to find puns on the banner, the cake and even the back of the little action figure you and his bro picked and he’s gonna have such a fit and it will all be recorded by the hidden camera you two placed inside and Mom’s gonna cry laughing so hard –  

_ It’s not _ _a dream! Everyone’s gone and –_  

“I know!” you choke out brokenly, trying to stop the tears pooling down your face. Hiccups prevent you from saying anything else as you struggle to breathe and not wail out your sorrow. “I fucking  _know_ , Chara!”

They fall silent and you can feel their gaze burn your back as you curl up into a ball, hugging yourself as tightly as you can as if trying to replicate the comfort that comes with it.

You’re all alone now.

Your face feels too hot and you can’t stop shaking as you sob into the pillow, trying to block out the feeling of missing your family so much that it’s drowning you that you can’t stop yourself from crying out like the child you appear as, “M-Momma! Dad!”

They know that you only call out like that when you’re really frightened, when you were still small enough to sit on your Dad’s shoulders and for Mom to lift you in her arms. You know that they will drop whatever they’re doing to run into your room and hush your cries with soothing words and kisses so you wait for Toriel to rush in, worry pulling at her features as she pulls you into a tight hug while Asgore forgets about the respectful distance he keeps around her to wrap his arms around you both and you don’t ever want to let go of them ever again.

You wait for their footsteps, the slam of your door and their hugs.

But nobody comes and they never will.

You know this.

It feels like you’re dying as you cough between sobs, the need to see your family becoming too much. You could have apologised to Mom for the time you got mad at her for just asking if you wanted to go out to the park with her for the third time that week, you knew that she just wanted to spend time with you but you still told her off or when you made Pap’ cry – 

You wail into the pillow. They are gone and there’s nothing you can do about it. No reloads, no resets. You would give everything, the apologies and pleads and all your Determination just to see them again but you can’t because it is already too late.

The door slams open and something grabs you, pulling you against its chest and holding you tight. It makes shushing noises and coos, rocking you in its arms as it nuzzles your hair. You don’t care if it’s going to hurt you, you just cling onto the other like your life depends on it. For a moment, you could lie to yourself that it’s your mom. You don’t.

“I’m here, Frisk, I’m here.” Asriel says as he tries to wipe the tears off your cheeks with his paws, more of replace them. “It’s going to be alright.”

“I-I wanna go home.” you say into his robes and you hear him whine quietly, his chest trembling against you.

“Me too.” he says with a quiet whimper in his own voice, holding you as tightly as he can without hurting you. Your crying makes him cry and you want to stop so he would too but you just end up sobbing harder. Chara grits their teeth and glares at Asriel, before they nudge you hard.   


Your hand reaches up to clumsily grope Asriel's muzzle. He makes a sound of confusion and lets out a small yelp as you grab his snout, squeezing lightly. "Don't cry," they bite out, clawing back a sob back so your words won't completely be gibberish, "or I'll grab your snooty."

Asriel blinks at your half-hearted threat despite your hand already taking his nose captive. You squeeze his snooty again and he lets out a quiet noise cross between a giggle and a sob, gently taking your hand in his. He  holds you until the tears stop and sleep smothers you like a blanket. While the monster doesn’t make a sound, you can feel his shoulders shake slightly and hear the hitch in his breathing. With the last of your strength, you tuck your head and nuzzle his neck fluff. A heartbeat passes before you feel him nuzzle you back.

 

* * *

 

You wake up for the second time, groggy from sleep and still tired. As expected, the room looks exactly the same as the one in the Ruins. With a groan, you listen to the chiming of the music box by the nightlight for a while to recollect yourself. You remember crying hard and missing your family, the latter leaving a dull ache in your heart. You also recall making Asriel cry by crying. Anger towards yourself for letting your emotions run and mostly for making the goat monster cry has you sitting up with a frown.

_ He’s always been a sympathetic crybaby_, Chara informs you politely from the corner of your eye,  _he used to cry over the simplest thing, be it spilling a cup of tea or cutting his fur. _

“I should still apologise.” you say as you swing your legs over the edge, getting to work on making the bed to look acceptable. Housekeeping has always been a way to distract you from thinking about things that you should think about.

_ You said crying is good for the health. _

“Yeah, but making others cry isn’t.”

Chara snorts loudly and you turn away from the bed, gaze dropping to the mat in the room. A tray sits there with a plate of pie and a covered cup, a note half-hidden by the plate. Ignoring Chara’s comment about how they keep putting food on the floor instead of the provided desk nearby, you pick the tray up and carefully place it on the table before switching the lamp back to day-mode to read the note.

_ Howdy, Frisk! Here’s the pie I promised and some tea to help wash it down. Hope you’re okay with butterscotch-cinnamon pie and golden flower tea – it’s really sweet but kind of bitter, sorry if you don’t like it – it’s all I have left at the moment but I’m out getting more ingredients so don’t worry about it. Hopefully it will still be warm by the time you read this. _

_  -  Asriel _

_It's still warm._   Chara tells you when you glance back at the tray; there isn’t a clock in this room so it most likely has only been a few minutes since he left it here. With a shrug, you pick up the plate first and sniff the pie. It smells normal, but looks much different compared to your Mom’s.

_Eat it, Frisk. You need the energy and I want to know if it tastes as good as Toriel’s. _

“I might need it later, like when battling Asgore or something.” You say with a pout, restrainting yourself despite the grumbles of your stomach. Maybe you can find something else to eat.

You watch as your right hand grabs the pie without your permission and you nearly drop the plate in shock and disbelief. “Chara, no.”   
  
_ Chara, yes. _The pie nudges your mouth and the mouth-watering scent of soft butter and spicy cinnamon fills your senses. Control slips and you give in, taking a small bite but Chara shoves more of the pie in when you open your mouth. A protest stumbles out - you really might need that pie - but it clings onto the tip of your tongue when your stomach rumbles in delight.  _Chara always yes! _  
  
With a sigh of content and exasperation, you let yourself chew and savor the taste, before pushing them away. Chara reluctantly allows it and you feel your stolen hand again, tingling like minor case of the pins and needles. You set the pie back in the safety of the plate before glaring at their hovering form, chiding them. “I told you I hate it when you do that.”   
  
_Don’t talk with your mouth full._   As usual, they dismiss your remark but before you can go on a full out lecture of how possession of one’s body is an extreme invasion of privacy and personal space, they lean in with curiosity.  _Well?_   
  
Right, you sometimes forget that they can’t taste anything anymore. Ignoring that thought, you focus on chewing your food and swallowing. “Softer and chewier than hers, I think he used more cream too but overall a four out of five stars.”   
  
_ Interesting. What of the tea then? _  
  
“Just don’t make me burn my tongue.” You warn them while picking up the cup and removing its cover. The sweet fragrance of flowers wafts up with the steam, reminding you of spring time and sunlight, just like the ones Dad would make. Blowing at it a few times, you take a cautious sip and ignore Chara when they leaned in closer. It’s good, sweeter than what your used to, but the drink warms you like a good cup of tea does and you sigh happily.   
  
You’re about to sigh again when a passing thought makes you pause: How long did it take for him to learn how to make these?   
  
The idea of the tiny goat child you recall learning how to bake with your Mom and making tea with Dad causing a smile to lift your lips. Cute.   
  
But what if they weren’t there? You realise briefly that these aren’t your thoughts and you open your mouth to ask Chara when it's shoved aside for another: what if he was alone and had to teach himself by books and memory just for the sake of remembering them?   
  
“Chara?”   
  
The questions in your head remain but you feel the other’s presence jerk away from you without a word. Pity for them slips out – they still care for him after all these years – and you’re glad Chara had pulled away otherwise they would easily notice you feeling sorry for them. They always hate being pitied. “Are you alright?”   
  
_There’s a phone on the desk._

A blunt change in subject, but you don’t object as you pick up the item.   
  
_ Forgot to mention: Here’s a phone in case you want to explore the Ruins. The place is not too big and I’m sure you can take care of yourself, but please call me if you get into trouble. I’ll go look for you when lunch is ready. _

_- Still Asriel _   
  
“Huh,” you say in bemusement as you inspect the phone. It’s more or less the same one Toriel gave you, if not a lighter shade in color. “Do you think we can still flirt with him?”   
  
_ Knowing you? You’re going to flirt with everybody you meet. _  
  
Your eyes light up at that idea and excitement has you thinking of and recalling the many pick-up lines you’ve heard in the past.   
  
_I didn’t mean it as a suggestion._  
  
“Too late.” you retort with a playful grin, pocketing the phone and moving to grab the half-eaten pie. A dull thud on the floor makes you look down to see the former object gazing up at you innocently. On closer inspection, the phone isn’t magically infused to go through fabric like a prank Sans once played on you – but it is still affected by gravity – and you find a hole in your pants pocket instead. “Damnit.”   
  
Chara huffs in amusement.  _You look like shit_.   
  
“Thanks.”   
  
_You should check the cupboard_ , they suggest with a nod towards the mentioned furniture. _Perhaps you can find something that fits you. _   
  
Making an annoyed noise, you stalk over to the cupboard and pull both open doors open. Green and yellow greets you, earning a blink from you and a sharp intake of breath from over your shoulder. Chara’s silent shock doesn’t last long, especially when they follow your gaze.  _Your pants are tattered and the first thing you look at are the shirts? Really, Frisk? _   
  
You ignore them and carefully take out one of the many striped shirts, biting your lip as you consider your choices. Your own shirt is torn here and there and you’ve managed through the cold of Snowdin, being drenched in Waterfall and the heat of Hotlands just fine. This shirt, however, is just the right size for you - perfect even and definitely more comfortable than you current one, but as much as you would like wear it, you worry about how Asriel might react to seeing you dressed like this. You can still remember him mistaking you as his Best Friend.   
  
_ Do you really want to suffer the whole journey wearing your old clothes just so he feels better?_ When you don’t answer, Chara sighs and you feel them tugging at your control. _If you’re not going to change into it, I will. _   
  
Quickly, you set the shirt aside and grab a set of trousers. Your old pair looks worse for wear when you abandon it for the new set, but you don’t dwell on it as Chara floats in your vision with their arms crossed, waiting.   
  
With a heavy sigh, you reluctantly replace your ruined shirt with the new one, the soft fabric feeling nice against your skin. Chara nods in approval and you let the small fear of being forced-dressed slip away. Now in comfortable, clean clothes, you start to close the cupboard when you notice a box peering out from under the folded bundles of clothes inside. The box turns out to be a large chest that stubbornly doesn’t want to leave the cupboard so you end up moving the pants aside to open it. 

Articles of clothes and seemingly random items sit in the chest, all too familiar.

You've done this before, but it feels like it happened ages ago.  
  
Picking up the Faded Ribbon, you stare at its dull colors with wide eyes, before carefully digging through the box.   
  
_…He still has them._  Chara whispers as you hold up the Locket, a glimmer in the box reminding you that there is something else still in there. Gently, you pry it open and sorrow washes over you at the sight of Best Friends Forever looking back. When you reach for the shiny item, you don’t know if it’s really you who did it or Chara, but regardless: it’s the Real Knife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh i can't believe people actually like this fic, thank you for all the love and support.
> 
> FLIRTING SHALL COMMENCE IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR GOAT PUNS AND HORRIBLE PICK-UP LINES.


	4. You called out and it echoed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of rise and drops in emotion in this one.

You were curled up beside the bed, the chest of old memories and equipment from forgotten children pressed up against your side. The Real Knife sat a few feet away from where you flung it, metal still clear like a mirror despite the dust smothering its edges. 

 _It’s_ _not real dust_ , Chara informed you but you tucked your knees closer to your chest anyway. 

A fuzzy image floated up to the surface of your mind: a too-tight grip on a handle, a strained grin on your lips as if it was sewed on and dust all over. It wasn't too far a memory - just a few resets ago in fact. You knew this and a part of you, still bitter from what you had endured before everything, thought of sinking the sharp metal into the ghost that made you do all that. To let Chara in, only to hurt yourself in order for them to feel pain. The thought filled you with a dark feeling, a slick sharp satisfaction at their suffering. The rest of you, however refused immediately and shoved that horrid idea away.  

To be angry at Chara for being a monster was one thing. To be that very monster itself, simply to hurt it, was a whole different story. 

Plus, you didn't think you would be good at being mean either way. You had never been good at hurting others willingly. 

"I'm fine." You spoke up when Chara's silent worry slipped into the seems, like sand through cupped hands. They didn't want to show it, concern never their strongest point, but it sunk in and woke you up enough to get over the shock. You took another look at the innocent glint of the Knife – you can still remember it leaving a clean line down blue fabric and bones, grin still unable to twitch into a frown despite his agony – before tearing your gaze away. Your words are softer now, but honest. "I'm fine." 

Heaving a deep breathing, you pulled yourself from the protective ball you had folded into to inspect the chest. Everything was here, from the ribbon and toy knife to the cowboy hat and its empty gun. A rushing thought hit you and you frowned: If all these are here, does this mean that the previous humans never left the ruins? 

 _Perhaps they abandoned their things here._ You gave Chara a look at their word of choice, but didn't correct them. _Surely one of them managed to leave._  

"Why would your things be here?"

Chara didn't answer and you felt the pit of dread in your gut rose.

"We should check anyway. Maybe there will be something else in their place now since they're all in here." You suggested weakly, carefully pocketing the Half-eaten Pie and taking the phone. You weren't sure what to expect from this timeline, but you knew that no matter how bad it is, you were Determined to fix it. Asriel was alive so it couldn't be that bad, could it? 

 _At least take something from the chest with you._  

Blinking, you glanced back at the box. You knew you couldn't take everything, although you probably could wear the tutu over the apron, tie the bandana around your arm and maybe wrap the ribbon around the plastic knife so your other hand's free to hold the pan –  

 _Okay, forget I mentioned that. You're never going to be able to dodge bullets at that rate._ You hid a grin when Chara waved their hands somewhat frantically at your attempt to fit everything on your person. Maybe you would win twice the amount of points for fashion during Mettaton's show. _Go for something light but hits hard._  

You noticed their gaze dart towards the fallen weapon behind you, the damn thing was still waiting to be acknowledged. Without a word, you took out the Toy Knife and Faded Ribbon, slipping the former into your new pants and the latter into your hair.  

 _Why those? There are far better items_ _available that you won't get until later on_ _._ Chara sounded offended but at least they didn't suggest the Real Knife or their locket.  

"It feels weird to walk around the Ruins with anything that isn't these." You answered with a shrug, because really, it would be weird. It felt wrong, almost like cheating and you were sure that you could handle anything that happened by yourself. 

 _Fine. Just don't come complaining that the food doesn't heal you as much because_ _you didn't take the frying pan._  

You grunt in response, looking around the room one last time to make sure you were ready. Everything looked in place, leaving a content feeling in your chest but then you spot the Knife. In a quick move, you snatched up the weapon and tossed it back into the chest, shutting the lid before leaving. The first thing that greeted you was the aroma of pie, still fresh and hanging in the air, old books and flowers. You took the opportunity to investigate every corner of the house, knowing that you didn't get the chance earlier. 

Asriel kept more flowers around than Toriel did, golden flowers on almost every stand and table he could fit a vase on. When you walked over to where Toriel's room should be, you found it already open. A quick glance over to the other room that was usually lock told you that the renovation sign was missing, but you stepped into Toriel's first. 

 _Apparently h_ _e broke the wall dividing their rooms_ , explained Chara when you stared at the large room. Two beds had been pushed together to form an even bigger King-Queen sized bed, flowers and books and papers on the walls decorating everywhere. A calendar sat on a neat table, Toriel's, with a closed book and a ribbon bookmark. Slowly, you stepped into the room and headed to the desk.  

 _It's Asriel's dairy. It appears that like he caught some of his parents' habits._ _Read it?_  

You frowned, eyeing the calendar instead of the dairy. Picking it up, you started to flip through the contents. The regular twelve months, old dates crossed out and a new set of handmade months had been pinned behind that...followed by more and more months after that. 

You started going through it quicker and quicker, almost frantically to find the end but then you stopped and simply stood there. Gazing down at the papers with wide eyes, you flipped up to the last page. It was blank. 

You had stopped counting after ten years and there was more than ten years worth of pages when you did. 

"How long has he been down here...?" You murmured to yourself, setting down the calendar on the desk. You hadn't noticed how badly your hands were shaking and clenched tightly in an effort to stop. Chara was quiet behind you, reading the dates over your shoulder and was now looking at the giant bed. Determination helped unchoke your words and pull the tight fist around your throat, "Chara. How long has Asriel been here?" 

Chara didn't answer. You waited. After a long moment of what felt like an eternity and longer, all while the calendar stared up at you both, you opened your mouth to plead for a reply when Chara sighed. 

 _I don't know._  

"You said you're good with telling time." It took all your will not to let an accusing tone slip in. 

 _And I'm not from this timeline._ Said Chara, their gritted teeth and annoyance open for all to hear, _as much as I would love to answer your question, I'm afraid I can't_ _._ _If there is anyone you should be asking, it's Asriel himself –_    

You heard something change in them, a surge of desperation that was not your own dragging you down into a pool of emotion, but you knew that it wasn't you it was trying to drown. Chara's word spilled faster, a strain in their voice as if it was going to be their last words, _or even the Chara from this world. If he's still here, that means that I'm still dead and he made it up to the surface, only to get killed all because the fool_ _just_ _wouldn't fucking_ ** _FIGHT back!_**  

They fell silent, shoulders heaving from taking deep breaths they no longer needed. You didn't blame them. You knew that the incident in the previous timeline and now this left both of your emotions strained, so you gave Chara a minute to recollect themself from their outburst, before turning to face them.  

Chara still looked like a child, tiny frame hidden under their striped sweater and rosy cheeks. Despite how bright their eyes were, you could see the age in them, the years they had endured without truly being part of them. Gently, you tried to reach out to them with your SOUL. 

A twitch of their arm, as if you had physically grabbed them, was all that told you that you had somehow managed. "It's okay," you said in your 'comfort' voice, the one used when interacting with frightened monsters or children. The kind that was soft and mellow like your Mom's whenever the nightmares happened. "no matter how bad this timeline is, I'll get us all to the surface. Our family and Asriel together, I promise."  

It got a snort from them, but Chara didn't correct you about how it was your family and not theirs. You felt their hesitation first, before they nudged you back. When you looked at them, their ghostly form was adamantly facing away from you. 

You smiled and nudged them back. 

Asriel's room wasn't much after that. His diary was filled with days starting with 'It's a good day today' to his rambling of how his fur and horns were growing long enough for him to know how it felt to be like Asgore bumping into door frames to rather detailed findings about plants. You took note of the sketches of flowers you had never seen before on the walls and couldn't help but grin. He really took after his Dad. 

You left the room to inspect the living room, finding the fireplace lit and more books stuffed into the shelves. There were still three chairs. The kitchen was no different, although this time there was pie _and_ a kettle full of tea. 

Glaring at the still-warm pie that was sitting on the counter, you didn't bother looking for knives to cut a small piece. The size of the pie was still somehow intimidating. Chara chuckled over your shoulder and you resisted the urge to pout. 

A few steps later – the Ruins were still so small – you find yourself at the main door.  

 _What are you waiting for?_  

"Should I call him to tell him we're going out?" You pulled out the phone Asriel provided, bring out his number. 

 _He did give it to you for that purpose. Go ahead._  

With a shrug, you pressed dial and the device let out its dull droning. A wide grin played on your lips when the phone let out a click.  

"Howdy!" 

 _Just so long as you don't FLI –_  

"Hey, did you just come out of the oven? 'Cause you're smoking hot." 

 _Are you kidding me._  

"P-Pardon?" Asriel sputtered and you bit your lip to hold back the giggles. You could imagine the bewildered expression on his face. "I, uh. T-thank you?" 

 _It appears that he doesn't_ _understand when you speak Stupid. Try something sensible_ _._ Chara helpfully deadpanned. You nodded in thanks.  

Time for plan B.  

"Asriel, I have a confession to make." 

 _Please don't._  

"This _is_ Frisk, right? Uh, go ahead...?" 

"You're so bleat-utiful, you goat me crazy over you." 

 _Why._  

You heard a very muffled 'oh my golly' and fumbling on the other line, followed by a curse before Asriel's voice returned much closer to the receiver. He must had nearly dropped the phone. "You're joking, right? Goodness, you're adorable, Frisk. Hahaha..."  

He trailed off and you put on a cheesy smile. You will probably feel bad after this, but for now, you really want to squeeze out as many goat puns you can in this call. All those years of being in the same with as your Mom and Sans had prepared you for this. 

"I'm so glad I met you. I'd hate it if I had to spend another day all baaa myself." 

Over the phone, you hear Asriel snort loudly but choked it back before it became a full-blown laugh. He had his mother's sense of humor as unfortunate as it was. Chara groaned behind you, muttering darkly about finding another vessel just so they could smash their head against a wall.  

"Don't worry, Chara." You whispered at them while leaning away from the phone. "I goat this." 

They groaned even louder. 

Snickering, you turned back to the receiver and find the goatbro still silent. "Are you still there? I'll feel sheepish if I've been talking to nobody." 

"I'm not a sheep." 

"Even if you were, my heart still bleats for you." 

"O-oh my." 

Chara was attempting to smother themselves with their hands. _Why do you torture me this way?_  

"He walked into that one." You whispered back to them and turn back to the phone. 

"Please tell me you're joking, Frisk." You frowned. Asriel sounded so nervous, you could imagine him fidgeting and holding the phone with both paws. Briefly, it reminded you of the small goat child sitting on a bed of gold, gazing up at you and waiting for you to walk away. "Y-you're just fooling around, yes?"  

The need to reassure him, to tell him you weren't walking away this time, filled you with Determination. 

"No, I'm not." You paused at the abrupt silence on the other line. "I'm Asriel as it gets." 

"B-b-but you're too young!" You had to hold the phone away at his exclamation, he was most likely flustered and would probably cover his face if he had both hands free. A glance down at your tiny hands and feet, you still are a child physically. " _I'm_ too young! I'm not even at my king age yet, I can't- " 

A startlingly loud laugh left Chara at the mention of king age, making you jump at the abrupt noise. You glanced at them to see them doubling over, clutching their stomach in laughter, whispering 'King age' in an oddly deep voice and laughing harder at it. Despite the feeling of being left out of a joke, you can't help but smile brightly before returning to the sputtering panic of your phone. "a-and I don't remember if I still have that manual on my shelves or– " 

"Asriel." 

" - or that I don't even have...yes?" 

You were a little surprised he heard you over his rambling. "Knock knock." 

"I don't unde- Who's there?" 

"Olive."  

"Olive, who?" He sighed and you grinned as wide as you could until your cheeks hurt. 

"Olive you."  

Asriel gasped, letting out an odd sound that was a squeal cross between delight and a dying breath. You blinked and frown at your phone.  

 _What,_ Chara wheezed from the side, still somewhat winded from laughing so hard. You were glad they enjoyed themself, it wasn't often they were genuinely happy. _Di_ _d he confess t_ _oo_ _?_  

"He hung up." 

 _Amazing._  

"I know." 

Stepping outside of the house, the first thing you noticed was the flowers. They grew along the walls and sides of the room, vines climbing up along purple paint of stone while a ring of gold surrounded the tree further down. The tree still looked ancient and missing its leaves, looming over you like a tall shadow but Asriel had somehow managed to plant the golden flowers in a manner that made them look like they were hugging the tree. 

Cute. 

You walked over to the glimmer of light you knew was there, gold buried in more gold yet still shining brighter than all of them. The SAVE point seemed to wink at you while you gently reached down for it, as if thrilled that you found it hidden in Asriel's garden. You couldn't help but smile back, the sight filling you with Determination. 

 _Can't believe he actually made the whole place a garden._ Chara hovered nearby, eyeing the flowers with a raised brow before glancing at you when you stood up. _So_ _where to?_  

"The toy knife, I guess." It wasn't that far anyway, the closest in fact. You started down the room, wishing you still had your phone upgrade so you could take pictures of Asriel's garden. Speaking of which, you were still holding the said device and the menu was still over the goat monster's number. 

"Chara." 

Your unwillingly companion grunted in reply, observing the tree and not noticing your devious smile.  

"That was technically the first call, wasn't it?" You began, smile growing as your thumb hovered over the dial button again. Chara's eyes widened at the implication before narrowing them into slits, a scowl playing on their lips. 

 _Don't you dare._  

"I can still call him to flirt a second time," cheesy glee coated your words and you didn't bother stopping it, enjoying how the flash of horror Chara's face, "can't I?" 

 _Sans and Toriel_ _created a monster._  

Chuckling at their lamet, you continued down the end of the room. You weren't a monster, though even if you were, your bullets would probably just be puns and pick-up lines aimed at the target. At the corner of your eye, Chara face-plamed at your thoughts. 

You will hold off with the next FLIRT call until later, you thought as you reached the next area that split into the rest of the ruins and the view of the old city. 

 _There should be a Froggit on at the right side, it might know something._ Said Chara as they crossed their arms and floated behind you.  

Nodding, you turned your heel and spotted the mentioned monster. Taking in a deep breath, you put on a friendly smile and greeted. "Hello there!" 

The Froggit jumped at your voice, stumbling back on its small legs slightly, but remaining in front of the doorway leading to where the Toy Knife was. It didn't answer you. 

 _It's afraid of you._  

"Sorry, did I startle you?" You kept smiling and made sure to keep a comfortable distance away in case you scared the monster any further. At least it didn't drag you in battle with it. Froggit shook its head at you, but otherwise held its silence. Resisting a frown that tugged your lips, you glance over to the doorway behind it. "I need to go in there, so could you please move?"  

It shook its head again and your smile fell into a pout. Chara frowned on your behalf, glaring daggers at the Froggit. 

 _Just move_ _it aside or something. You won't get anywhere by being a pushover_ _._  

Rude, you thought back. You had been taught to always ask when you wanted something and the frog monster was probably more frightened of you than you are of it. Chara huffed and rolled their eyes while you debated for a solution. You would had given the Froggit a piece of monster candy but all you had was the half-eaten pie, fake knife and a ribbon. Shrugging, you settled for undoing the long fabric from your hair. 

 _You're going to give it_ _to him_ _?_ Chara sounded surprised, perhaps even a little angry as you tied the ribbon into a small bow. 

I don't mind. 

They didn't reply and you weren't sure why you felt a surge of irritation and disappointment from them. Not dwelling on it, you crouched down and held out the Faded Ribbon to the monster. "Here." 

It blinked at you, confused but reached out for the offering with caution. "For me?" 

"For you." You beamed and the Froggit hesitated, before beaming back. 

Chara remained silent as you helped the little monster wear the ribbon, told it how adorable it looked before asking if you could enter the room behind it. 

"Asriel wouldn't like that." Froggit told you with a soleum nod of its head, hopping slightly as you straightened up. "He doesn't allow anyone back there, not even me."  

You furrow your brows at their words, "how come?" 

"Don't know." 

 _Very helpful._  

"Could we take a little peek? I really, really need to get something from inside," you insisted and gave the Froggit a pleading look, throwing it your kicked-puppy expression. The monster appeared visibly strictened and you congratulate yourself for having the best pacifist weapon yet.  

"I-I shouldn't. He might find out and he's scary even when he's not mad..." 

"We're friends, right?" 

 _Wow, you pulled the Friend card on him. Poor frog._  

The Froggit attempted to reply before it's form slumped and it hopped over to you. "...I guess he wouldn't mind if we took a look." 

 _You're terrifying sometimes, did you know that?_  

Yup. 

You smiled and thanked the monster, patting it lightly on the head and stepping forward to the doorway. It was badly lit, the buildings you knew were in front of you dark and gloomy. Shadows clinging onto every corner and you briefly wished for a flashlight or lantern or even one of the glowing mushrooms from Waterfall.   

The Froggit followed you closely, peering around the place. "I don't think there's anything here." 

You frowned lightly. It was true, as far as you could see, there was nothing for you to take. No Toy Knife at the side and no abandoned monster homes that stretched out beyond your view. With a sigh, you started to turn back when you felt it. 

 _Ba-dump_ _._ _Ba-dump._  

A repeated resounding thud, the kind you heard when pressing your ear against the pillow or when you ran until you were out of air. However, you felt it more than heard it, as though it came from the ground and the air around you. It didn't beat alone. 

 _Ba-dump_ _._ _Ba-dump._  

Before Chara or Froggit could stop you, you rushed forward into the darkness. It was calling for you, had been calling for you ever since your RESET and now they were practically screaming with you being so close. Behind you, the little monster let out a startled squeak while Chara cried your name – but you couldn't hear them. All you could hear was _them_. 

 _Ba-dump_ _._ _Ba-dump._  

Your hands rose before you bumped into it, you didn't question how your body knew it was there but this close, you could barely make out a shape in front of you covered by a thick sheet under your palms. Gritting your teeth, you grabbed the fabric and yanked it down as hard as you could. 

 _Ba-dump_ _._  

Six colors glowed in the darkness, their light weak and frail behind their glass cage akin to a dying lighthouse. You gazed up at them, breath hitching and knees feeling weak. You nearly fell when the Froggit bumped into you, its tiny arms wrapped around your leg to hold itself up. A quiet sound of startled distress left you as you stumbled away from the giant container and you froze. The SOULS flickered and seemed to shiver, their shine growing brighter by the slightest. The light blue heart trembled and floated down, closer to you and then-

You felt them.

**H̴̵͟ ̴̡͜͟E̢̧͝͏ ̛͝Ĺ̷̵͞͏ ̴̵͟͝͡P̕**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will call him a second time later. Thank you for reading and all the support for this not-so-tiny fic.

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the Undertale trash bin, have a seat because this is going to a long and rather different ride. Mostly because we have an adult Frisk in a child's body, a really talkative Chara and a goatbro. Yeah, it's as weird as it gets so sit tight.
> 
> To our hungry Grilby-loving fans: Betcha didn't expect this, didcha? But don't worry, the next chapter is in the works.
> 
> And yes, we still will FLIRT with him on the phone.
> 
> Inspired by [this adorableness](http://sketchit26.tumblr.com/post/132873266497/some-random-undertale-au-where-adult-asriel-is).


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